The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) has selected Edward Tucker Architects and Hasenstab Architects to lead a transformative renovation and expansion of the Fredric W. Smith Science Building. This project is designed to elevate research capabilities, attract top-tier faculty and researchers, and position the institution as a leading center for advanced research and education. Highlights of the project include:

• Expanded Facility: A new three-story addition featuring research laboratories, an anatomy lab, a vivarium, and support spaces.
• Open Lab Concept: Incorporates shared support areas and dedicated office spaces, with a design that emphasizes transparency and visibility to highlight ongoing research activities.
• Locally-Inspired Design: Utilizes materials and colors that reflect WVSOM’s brand identity and the natural beauty of West Virginia.
• Broadened Impact: The facility will expand WVSOM’s research and technical workforce, generate new job opportunities, and foster collaboration with private industry.

The renovation and expansion are funded by a $29 million appropriation from the West Virginia Legislature and a $6 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Construction is slated to begin in 2025.

As part of Huntington City Hall’s comprehensive multi-phase renovation, the 1,300-square-foot City Council Chambers underwent a transformative redesign. The project not only revitalized the aesthetic appeal of this historic space but also enhanced accessibility, transparency, and community pride.

The updated layout optimizes public seating, providing a more inclusive and comfortable gathering space. Updated lighting, finishes, and the newly constructed council dais seamlessly integrates state-of-the-art technology while respecting the building’s historic character.

During the renovation, the discovery and rehabilitation of the original terrazzo flooring added an extraordinary layer of historical significance. Its unique pattern and intricate design have been preserved, honoring the charm of the past while supporting modern functionality.

Durable, flexible furniture and improved accessibility clearances throughout ensure that the space remains welcoming and functional for all visitors. This renovation stands as a testament to the City’s dedication to preserving its heritage while fostering a modern, community-centered future.

The comprehensive and multi-phase endeavor focused on providing an inviting, efficient and inclusive environment for all who enter its doors. The installation of accessibility features including lifts, elevators, handrails, and widened clearances, making City Hall inclusive and welcoming to all visitors, regardless of mobility challenges. One of the most noticeable changes was the replacement of the outdated windows with energy-efficient, double-glazed windows throughout. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the historic City Hall, but also improves thermal insulation, reducing energy consumption and enhancing occupant comfort. Meticulous attention was paid to interior finishes, successfully preserving the building’s historic charm while incorporating contemporary design elements. Ornate ceilings and intricate moldings have been restored, complemented by fresh paint and tastefully chosen wall coverings. The final touch was the installation of new furniture, thoughtfully chosen to complement the architecture while providing ergonomic support for the staff, enhancing productivity and functionality in various departments throughout the building, and ensuring comfortable seating for visitors.  The upgraded and revitalized building serves as a source of pride for the community, accommodating citizens of all abilities and providing a modern, efficient, and pleasant environment for all who walk through its doors.

The Cabell County Community Services Organization and the City of Huntington West Virginia chose a location in the heart of West Huntington’s Old Central City district for a new senior center.  The building sits on an abandoned railroad right of way which intersects 14^th Street West, a vibrant antique district.  ETA partnered with Lifespan Design Studio as senior center design specialists for the project.  The design team developed a 3,500 square foot layout which optimizes ease of access and use by seniors, including rethinking the typical layout of a senior center by creating an interior central lobby which acts as a hub for activities within the building, including a medical triage and treatment space, fitness room, and a large, gathering space which can be divided into two spaces for exercise classes, dining, games, and activities.  An outdoor patio relates to the public gazebo structure to the east, enhancing interaction with community events.  The butterfly roof extends over the patio with slender, angled steel supports to shade from the western sun.  The interior and exterior are elevated with elegant, natural materials and furnishings designed by ETA’s interior design team.  The building serves as an extension of the vibrant streetscape, and will serve as a resource for the community for years to come.

In 2021, the Bluefield State University acquired the Bluefield Regional Medical Center and has been converting the former hospital into academic and student housing facilities for the campus. The second floor is being renovated in phases as the Medical Education Center, to provide space for the College of Allied Health Professions. Phase 1 will open in the Spring of 2025 and involved the renovation of 12,000 square feet of the East Wing of the second floor for the Associate and Bachelor of Science of Nursing programs. Phase 2 will include renovating the West Wing for the Radiologic Technology and Sonography programs and the South Wing for the Administrative Suite and Respiratory Therapy program. The conversion of the floor has focused around creating student-centered spaces for collaboration, including study space (many of the institution’s students are commuters and need space on campus to spend time during the day) as well as computer labs for assessment, simulation labs, and flexible, multifunctional learning spaces. ETA’s interior team designed furniture and finishes for this project, ensuring the design vision was fully realized down to the last detail.

The site for the building is in Hamor Village, a local shopping plaza. The clean, white, exterior cladding of brick and metal panels serves as a bright background for rainbow-patterned, vertical steel louvers that wrap around the building. The louvers are positioned to reduce heat gain through the large windows that allow for views and daylight from the interior. A small green space was included for the dentistry staff’s pets, adding to the fun, unexpected design.

The client requested exciting patterns and vibrant colors to create a fun, comfortable and welcoming space for patients and staff. The 8,157 square foot, two story building has eight hygiene bays and eight operatory bays, each featuring a large window. The hygiene area is open, with colorful, suspended resinous panels defining semi-private treatment areas. Operatory bays are enclosed with solid walls, with storage and handwashing nooks facing the hallway. The floor plan is configured with a central, linear sterilization area accessed from both the hygiene and operatory bays. One, enclosed hygiene and operatory bay was designed to meet the needs of all patients. The dentist’s office is placed on a corner within the operatory suite, with interior glass to allow for observation. Other staff offices are located in the center of the plan, facilitating access and flow.

The second floor of the building is entirely dedicated to staff space, including a changing area with laundry facilities and shower, and a large, open break room with kitchen, dining and living zones.

The building is served by a geothermal, water source heat pump system. The hydronic system and heat pumps are tied to 9, 400-foot-deep geothermal wells. Heat is removed from the building and transferred into the wellfield in the summer and absorbed from the wellfield and put back into the building during the winter. The system is easy to maintain over time with no boilers, chillers, or cooling towers to maintain and replace.

Click here for a video about the incredible work that Compass Wellness Center is doing…

The Cabell County Board of Education determined that the Highlawn community would keep its treasured elementary school, and provided a new site within the neighborhood.  The complex nature of utilizing an urban site for a new elementary school presented a network of logistical issues for the project team to navigate, including the demolition of an existing school structure, the closure of a city alley, rerouting of existing utility lines, and the renovation of the existing gymnasium structure. The design concept separated the bus loop, parent drop-off loop, and staff parking and service access, to avoid traffic congestion. The building footprint is a ‘U’ shape that allows for passive security by creating an interior courtyard that contains the playground area. The dining room features a sloping roof form articulated by wooden beams and decking. The Media Center also features a two-story space connecting the first floor library to the second floor STEAM lab.

The design team was challenged to renovate an existing, vacant building into an accessible service hub, bringing together behavioral, social and medical resources from the community to deliver care to individuals in every stage of addiction treatment and recovery.

The outpatient medical facility serves as a single regional referral point to assess patients following discharge from local emergency rooms and inpatient detox units and by referral from quick response and other emergency medical response teams.

The project’s program included a waiting area, children’s playroom, on-site pharmacy, clinical area, group therapy rooms, offices and staff meeting areas.

The clinical space included a small lab, blood draw area, nurse station, and exam rooms.

The design services for the project included assisting the client with the selection and purchase of furnishings and signage, creating a cohesive design palette and supporting the functional needs for each space.

Our firm worked with Marshall University and Sodexo Food Service to give a fresh face to the cafeteria and create new dining experiences for the students and faculty. There were multiple retail brands in the space including a deli, stone hearth pizza station, American cuisine grill, and Mongolian grill. The dining space was laid out to create an urban feel to allow the users to choose different “neighborhoods” to dine or study. The project was completed in 2011 with a $1,100,000 budget.